South Korea's intelligence chief has become the latest member of President Roh Moo-hyun's foreign affairs and national security team to offer to quit in the wake of North Korea's October 9 nuclear test.
The resignations follow mounting criticism of Roh's engagement policy with North Korea for doing little to temper its nuclear weapons ambitions and reduce tension on the divided peninsula. Director of the National Intelligence Service Kim Seung-gyu offered his resignation to Roh on Thursday, presidential spokesman Yoon Tae-young said on Friday.
South Korea's point man on the North, Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, and Defence Minister Yoon Kwang-ung tendered their resignations earlier in the week.
A shake-up of some kind had been in the offing since Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon was selected to become the next UN secretary-general. He is expected to leave in mid-November.